[2009.12.19] "NASAL SONG QUEEN" WU YINGYIN PASSED AWAY IN LOS ANGELES

courtesy of takungpao.com

Known as the "nasal song queen" and reigned over the Bund in the 40s Shanghai with the song BRIGHT MOON SENDS YEARNING OVER THOUSANDS OF MILES (MING YUET CHIN LEI GEI SEUNG SI), Wu Inging passed away on the 17th in Los Angeles, USA at the age of 87. Reportedly Wu Inging after entering the hospital for a foot surgery has been in unstable condition until the morning of the 17th when she passed away.

Wu Yingyin was a famous singer in the 40s Shanghai Bund. Her gentle voice and an uniquely blue nasal sound earned her renown that made her "Four Great Heavenly Queens" with fellow hot Shanghai contemporary singers Zhou Xuan, Bai Guang, and Li Xianglan. Her songs I HAVE A ROMANCE, NIGHT OF JIANGNAN, MINGJIANG NIGHT SONG were sung for many generations.

Wu Yingyin was born in 1922 in Shanghai. Originally named Wu Jianqiu, due to her wonderful singing that was like a new born oriole the audience called her "oriole sound". Because she insisted on keeping her last name, her stage name became Wu Yingyin.

Wu Yingyin had the gift of singing since she was little. Any song that the radio played she was able to sing just from hearing it. At 22 she released her first record. At 24 she won a singing contest at a famous night club and became a shining singing star. Later she signed with EMI as a singer. Her footsteps could be traced to all the top Shanghai night spots.

In 1948, the 26 year old Wu Yingyin began recording her first solo record titled I WANT TO FORGET YOU. As soon as it was released she was famous all over. In the next three years she also records SINCE MARRYING YOU, SPRING LIGHT IS ENDLESSLY GOOD, HEARTBROKEN RED and other hits that made her a superstar.

After retiring from the stage, Wu Yingyin settled in Los Angeles, USA in 1987 but did not give up singing. She often performed in Chinese neighborhoods, community celebrations and charity events. After Hong Kong Hand Over, she made a comeback and performed for four years in a row at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Every show was sold out.

Wu Yingyin loved her singing career and her fans as she sincerely performed. In 2004, in her 80s Wu Yingyin performed in Singapore but suffered from a severe case of cold sore that the doctor recommended hospitalization for. She did not want to disappoint fans and insisted on

performing with heavy make up. She only began her treatment after five shows.